Blank for flower supporting carton



March 27, 1956 s. G. sARRA-r ETAL 2,739,701

BLANK FOR FLOWER SUPPORTING CARTON Fild .June e, 1952 2 sheets-sheet 1 March 27, 1956 s. G. sARRAT ET AL 2,739,701

BLANK FOR FLOWER SUPPORTING CARTON Filed June 6, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I' I 43 l l I I INVENTORS Snif/AN 6. JAR/4r G50/Q65 /V/l/fA/ United States Patent s ll i 2,739,701 BLANK FR FLOWER SUPPRTING CARTON Sylvian G. Sarrat, CorteMadfera',-and GeorgeNiven, Larkspur, Calif;

Application June 6,' 1952, Serial No. 292,168 1 Claim. (Ci. 29d-45:19)

.This invention relates to a flowerv carton,` such as is suitable for use in shippinggardeniasand the like, and for holdingandf displaying said gardenias.4

Gardenias, camellias and similarblossomshaverela tivelyrlarge'calices and duringytheir shipping, handling and display, theynust be frmlysupported in spaced relation-from each-other and from any foreign'object, such asthe-carton, holder, wrapper, cover etc.

The most suitable holders for theblossoms have been found to be-sheet material, such-as cardboard, formed to provide aninclined portion that is aperturedfor the-ca-Iyx and stem, the latter projecting from the'lower side of such pprtiomand theelevated edge of-'thezinclinedportion isspaced above a support, such as the bottom `of aY box; byadownward extension of the said inclined portion. Such afholder is seen in United States LettersPa-tent 2,358,295, issuedSeptember 19, 1944, toP.. .Bacigalupi.

The principal diculties encountered in the use of prior gardenia holders are the dilicultyl of assembling` the holders in the cartons so they will -be rigid withi the latter, and thev excessive cost of the cartons and holders due tto theirseparate structure, and the exorbitant cost of labor inthe assemblyV of thefholders and `cartonsrand the packing of the-gardenias.

One of the principal Yobjects of thisinventionisuthe provision of acarton made from a single sheet of material, such as cardboard which may or may not have a=cover integralvtherewith, and the bottom wall of which carton is foldable to provide rigidly supported inclined apertured sections on which the blossoms are supported, and which bottom wall is :rigidly held in folded position against distortion thereof when loaded and handled.

Other objects and advantages will be seen inthedescription and drawings.

In the drawings,` Fig. 1 is aplan view of a blank `from which the'carton maybe formed, the carton Ibeingof the folding Atype and not aset-up carton.

VFig;` 2 is a top4 plan viewv of a carton. when folded from theblan'k'of Fig: l.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view ofthe carton, both ends being the same. A removable cover is shown in place on the carton.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along line 4-4 of Fig. 2, a removable cover being indicated on the carton.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a carton in which the cover may be integral with the blank and carton, the cover being slightly open to show `the connection ybetween it and the carton.

In the detailed description, the term carton is intended to refer to the body of the container, and does not necessarily include a cover, although a cover may be provided, and usually is. However, the carton could be wrapped in transparent material such as regenerated cellulose or chlorinated rubber under certain conditions.

It is to also be understood that the words folding creases are not intended to necessarily restrict the structure in which creases (in the sense used in the industry) are employed. The material may be creased, scored, or

2 weakenedalong .fold `lines inI any suitable manner tofaciliL tate 'folding the materiali..

In detail, the blankf fromy which the carton is.v formed with a plurality of spaced parallel folding creases. in'aa roW extending in' the direction of one dimension ofthe blank-(vertically in Fig.` l), said crease'sbeing numbered 1, 2,. 3,` 4, 5; 6, 7` and 8 starting from the top inxFig. 1.

The end creases y1 and 8 define the junctures` between the marginal portions9, 10, and the lportion of the blank that is -between said marginal portions. Said`portions'9, 10 form, two: ofthe opposed sidewalls of :the carton when the latteris formed, and the portionthat lies 'between said creases 1- and 8 'forms the bottom`11 of the carton:

Apair of folding creases 12, 13 vextend perpendicularly of the creases 1 to 8 and these creases112, 13 define-.the junctures vbetween locking aflapsxlfd, 15' that are iny exten` sion of the side wall v9, and.the,juncturesbetweensimilar lockingffiaps *16, 17 and the side wall lik-andthe junctures betweenf end:walls 18, 19 and thecentral portiony 20.\of thebottom wall 11 and the junctures betweenextensions 21, ZZIand--the portions of the bottom wall that adjoin the side walls 9, 10.

While .thewalls 9, 10 have been designated"side walls and @walls 18, 19: have beendesig'nated endwallsf virtu.- allyua1lof these walls are side fwalls, andthe difference in designations isnot intended to beany'restriction. on'the dimensions of said walls.

Referring specifically to the bottom wall`11, it will-The seen that the parts designatedlo, 24, 23 and'respectively lying between creases4, 5. and l, 2, and 7, Sfmaybe of the same width. These parts are .coplanar'and horizontal when th'ecarton is formed, and perpendicular to `the'side and end. walls, withparts23, 24 adjoining the sidewalls 9,y 10 While part 20 connects `at its ends with fthe central portion 4of the lower edges lof endwalls 18,19..y

The portions 26, 27 lying between creases 2,.3'-and l5, 6- are :relatively wide as compared with parts=2`3, 24 and saidfportions126, 27 are eachtformed with: apertures-29 that are equally1 spaced from each other longitudinally of portions 26, 27, and that are positioned closer to'creases 3,' 6 than-to creases 2,: 5. at `points about a third ther distancer across said portions 26,- 27 transversely thereof.

Radially'extending cuts `30 extend 'to theedges'of apertures 29 touena-ble themarginal portionsofthe apertures tovyieldably bend to one sidey of portionsv26, 27" under the expanding :force of thestern or calyx of `ay blossom that is` adapted to extend through' each aperture. When such blossom is in position, the segments between the slits or cuts 30 will yieldablytgrip-thecalyx;

The portions 31, 32 between creases 3, 4 ando, 7 are slightly wider thany the-partsZtl, 23, 24, but-fare off the same-width relative to each other.

The end walls 18, 19 are connected with the-bottom wall only at the ends of the central part 20 of said bottom wall, and the extensions 21, 22 are not joined to locking iiaps 14, 15 or 16, 17 therefore the bottom wall may be folded along creases 2 to 7 inclusive, and side walls 9, 10 may be bent to opposed relation perpendicular to the adjoining parts 23, 24 of said bottom wall.

In so folding the bottom wall, the parts 20, 23, 24 as already mentioned, are coplanar. The portions 31, 32 are bent to generally perpendicular relationship to the parts Ztl, 24 with which they directly connect, and this will cause the apertured portions 26, 27 to slant upwardly from the creases 2, 5 and they will be supported in said inclined position by the portions 31, 32.

The folding of the portions of the bottom wall along creases 2 to 7 inclusive as above explained will bring the opposed side walls 9, 10 closer together than before said folding, and when the end walls 18, 19 are folded to the same side as side walls 9, 10, the ends of said end walls will be in substantially adjoining relation to the ends of side walls 9, 10. The extensions 21, 22 are then folded to overlie the marginal portions of end walls 18, 19 that are adjacent to said extensions, after which the locking flaps 14, 1S and 16, 17 are adapted to Abe brought to positions overlying the extensions 21, 22 as well as the marginal portions of the end walls that are adjacent to said aps.

The outer end of each locking ap is formed with an upwardly projecting locking tab 40 that is slightly greater than half the vertical width of each iiap, but its lower edge is aligned with the lower edge of the flap, and said lower edge of the ilap is substantially coplanar with the parts 20, 23, 24 of the bottom wall.

The overall horizontal length of each flap 14 to 17 including the tab 40 is virtually equal to the distance between the part 2S" and either side wall 9, 19 and formed in each end wall 1S, 19 is a pair of arcuately extending slits 41 through which each locking tab 40 is adapted to be upwardly inserted when the locking aps are swung to positions overlying the extensions 21, 22..

The fact that the locking flaps 14 to 17 inclusive extend almost to the centers of end Wails 18, 19 with their lower edges coplanar with the parts Ztl, 23, 24 of the bottom wall facilitates the squaring up of the carton when the latter is placed on a supporting surface, such as a table. lf any of the locking tabs should not be in locking position in slits 41, the positioning of the carton on a table will immediately cause the tabs to move into complete locking relation and all of the lower edges of the locking flaps will move into coplanar relationship with each other and with the parts 20, 23, 24. This is what is meant by squaring the carton after it is set up.

When the extensions 21, 22 are between the locking tabs and the end walls, it will be Seen that they extend about the full width of said end walls (vertically) and that one of their edges is in adjoining relation to each end of the side walls 9, 18. Thus 4any upward pressure on the bottom wall, and particularly on parts 23, 24 will be resisted by the engagement between extensions 21, 22 and vthe side wall adjacent thereto. This is important, for otherwise the bottom wall would readily be pushed upwardly in handling the carton in the usual manner, with the likelihood of the petals of the gardenias being injured` The upward insertion of the locking tabs through slits 41 results in the bottom of the carton being supported by the locking aps near the center of the bottom against downward movement of said bottom wall under the load therein. This is quite important in the present instance since the end walls 1,8, 19 are connected with the bottom wall only at the ends of the central part 2G of said bottom itself to cutting from cardboard stock with the minimum of waste.

A separate conventional cover 43 (Fig. 3) may be made for each carton, or either of the side walls 9, 10 may be extended to provide a cover 44 hinged thereto (Fig. 5). The cover structure is optional, no claim being specically made thereto.

We claim:

A 4blank for forming a carton-and ower support coml section disposed between a pair of said folding creases and -a pair of foldable adjoining sections disposed between said central section and each of said end creases foldable upwardly to positions with one of each such adjoining section includedY at an angle of about 45 degrees lrelative to horizontal to form a flower support and Withrthe other substantially vertical, said end walls being integrally secured to the ends of said ycentral section only and terminating in free end portions extending across the ends of said foldable sections and substantially to the ends of said side Walls when the sheet is folded to form said carton, folding creases in said sheet defining the jnnctures between said central section and said end walls, locking aps on the ends of said side walls in longitudinal extension thereof and having upwardly directed locking tabs at the outer ends of said aps, cuts formed in said end walls for receiving said tabs when said side and said end walls are vertical for holding said yfoidable sections in folded position and for holding said end walls and side walls together and vertical, folding creases formed in said sheet defining the junctures between said aps and said side walls, said bottom furtherhaving end sections respectively adjoining said end creases, said central section and said end sections being coplanar and extensions on the ends of said end sections having substantially the same width as said end sections and being foldable upwardly to substantially the full height of said end Walls and to positions between said locking flaps and said end walls and substantially in engagement with said side walls when said sheet is folded to form said carton.

References Cited in the iic of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,120,238 Porter Dec. 8, 1914 1,170,776 Nagle Feb. 8, 1.916 2,358,295 Bacigalupi Sept. 19, 1944 2,459,565 Lee Jan. 18, 1 949 2,474,543 McLellan lune 28,1949 2,630,914 Bekott Mar. 10, 1953 

